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Ellis Completes FEMA Academy

Jessie Ellis and Chris Foreman holding a FEMA certificate leather case.

Jessie Ellis holding FEMA certificate case with Chris Foreman on the other side.Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ (Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ) Health and Safety Program Manager Jessica Ellis recently completed FEMA’s National Emergency Basics Academy (NEMBA), a program designed to provide foundational education in emergency management knowledge, skills and abilities.

To apply for NEMBA, Ellis completed 12 online independent study courses for a total of 50.5 hours of training. NEMBA participants then completed five separate classes in Arkadelphia from January to May for a total of 120 hours of in-person classroom time.

“The information I learned throughout this process will benefit the College immensely,� Ellis said. “I have gained tremendous insight into the most efficient use of resources to accomplish the most effective planning, mitigation and response initiatives for our college community.�

With this training, Ellis will work with Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ stakeholders to prioritize campus security as part of the college’s strategic plan and integrated budget planning.

“The application of these elements to our campus has already begun as I begin to revamp our emergency operations plans and procedures to be more cohesive and appropriate to our current environment and needs,â€� Ellis said. “I am very excited to integrate what I’ve learned into initiatives that will make Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ even safer and more secure while maintaining our welcoming and open culture.â€�

Ellis joined Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ in August 2020 and has spearheaded the college’s COVID-19 response—communicating with affected students and staff members, incorporating local, state and federal protocols and reporting campus COVID-19 numbers internally and externally. Ellis also coordinates Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµâ€™s emergency management measures, which includes risk assessment and emergency preparedness.

“Jessie is an invaluable member of our Health and Safety team at Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ,â€� Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ Director of Physical Plant Maintenance Brad Hopper said. “Her completion of FEMA NEMBA will ensure Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµâ€™s Emergency Operations Plans mirror the most up-to-date national planning, mitigation and response plans. The safety of our students, faculty and staff is paramount to Ä¢¹½¶ÌÊÓÆµ. Knowing Jessie’s determination to provide a safe, prepared campus is comforting to me, personally, and should be to anyone on our campus.â€�